From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Craigieburn Valley is a club skifield in the southern alps of New Zealand's South Island, about east 104km from Christchurch.[3] Catering only to intermediate and advanced skiers, it features a vertical range of 1308—1811 m, 400 hectares of skiable area and 3 fast rope tows. The resort has several ski lodges but no gear hire.[1] It is also the base for ski touring expeditions when conditions permit. It is immediately adjacent to the Broken River ski area, with which it shares a ski pass system. Skiing between the two is possible with some hiking involved.[3]
Craigieburn has two accommodation lodges, the main Koroheke and the budget Mahtui. Through the winter there is a ski week system, where people come and stay for a Sunday to Saturday week. Duties are shared between staff and guests, while there is a cook and a manager, cleaning is normally done by guests. This is the nature of most club fields in New Zealand and promotes a good atmosphere at the lodge. There is also a bar in Koroheke lodge, the normal meeting place after a day on the field.[4] The only services available during the day are at day lodge, about half-way up the mountain. There are limited food options but it is warm and with a great view of the field.
Craigieburn is internationally famous for its steep terrain, 55% rated as advanced. There is no grooming and the hiking options are excellent, including Middle Basin, a 600m open bowl back to the access road, commonly compared to heli-skiing.[3]
[edit] References
